Three Times From Dusk To Dawn
by Crickette
Summary: The detectives meet three new demons, two of which are bent on destroying the world. How does Hiei know the lead of the three, and why is Kurama so kind to the other Fox Youkai?


"Kade get back here!" growled Tala. Kade was a fox demon, a powerful one at that. But not once did she want to use her powers to hurt, like Tala and Kai. Tala took out her crossbow, firing a lightning bolt and hitting Kade. The fox lady fell to the ground, but a Fox is known for its deviousness and trickery. With her last bit of energy, Kade escaped in a burst of foxfire. The blue flames transferred her from the Demon World to the Human world.  
  
"Excuse me..." Kurama knelt down in front of the injured girl."Are you alright? Can you speak?"  
  
No answer. Gently Kurama took her pulse; she was alive. Looking around, he picked her up, taking her home. She was obviously a demon, it was apprent by her spirit energy.And the fact she had a tail and Fox ears helped. Within a few mintues, he called the others to come.  
  
"Uhm, no offense or anything, Kurama," Kuwabara started,"But she looks a lot like you..except she's got..y'know..."  
  
"She's a Fox Demon, like me," Kurama said." I've never come across another. Do you know what she might be doing here, Yusuke?"  
  
"Me?! How should I know?!"  
  
"You are a detective, aren't you?" Hiei asked, leaning against a wall,"Shouldn't you be informed?"  
  
Yusuke shot him an angry glance, then thought for a moment."Well, one of those three artifacts you guys stole was taken again. The sword. I'm beginning to think Koenma needs better security gaurds instead of having ME get them all every time. I heard something about a Fox demon being one of them, but I don't know."  
  
A knock on the door interrupted conversation. Kurama answered. Atr the door was a black haired woman, who had the eyes of a demon. She looked at him angrily."You're hiding a stow away. A Fox Demon named Kade, I smell a Fox all over this place."  
  
"There's no one here by the name of Kade," Kurama said quietly. "Just me and a few of my friends."  
  
"Move," she growled. With amazing strength she shoved Kurama out of the way. Kuwabara and Yusuke barred the hall. Hiei moved between them. His eyes widened.  
  
"Tala!"  
  
"Hiei!" She stopped, then narrowed her eyes. "So sad, a respectable theif like yourself, reduced to playing with human boys. I hope my destiny isn't so bleak."  
  
"If that will be all," Kurama said, putting a hand on her shoulder."You aren't welcomed here."  
  
Tala looked at him angrily, then dissappeared. Hiei crossed his arms."This is more serious than I thought. Tala is ruthless, vicious, and-"  
  
"More evil than you?" Kuwabara asked. Hiei looked over his shoulder at Kuwabara, then left.  
  
"Be careful, Kurama, I'm not going to be here to help you."  
  
"Well, that was different," Yusuke said."I wonder how Hiei knows her? Ex-girlfriend? Speaking of- Oh no, Keiko!"  
  
"Keiko what?" Kuwabara asked. Yusuke grabbed his arm and began running.  
  
"We forgot her at school!! Oh man she's gonna be so mad! Later Kurama!" Yusuke ran out, leaving Kurama alone. Kade moaned, opening her eyes.  
  
"Where....." she moaned. Kurama turned, then knelt by her.  
  
"It's alright, you're safe here," he said."Try to rest, you were injured."  
  
"Tala...Kai...they're coming.."  
  
"We took care of that," Kurama said, smiling slightly."I'm sure they won't bother you anymore."  
  
Kade sat up slowly, holding her side."Thank you. I..owe you..I repay my debts...What's your name?"  
  
"Kurama...and you're Kade, right? The name was dropped when we took care of your friends."  
  
"Why did you help me? I'm..dishonorable," Kade closed her eyes, bowing her head. Kurama looked at her in concern.  
  
"Dishonorable? I don't understand," he said. Kade looked up.  
  
"Tala and Kai. I owed them a debt, but the return payment was to steal a sword that can turn living things to weak demons. It was a simple task, but then I learned why they wanted it. Tala has the Bow of Souls, when stricken with it, she can control her victims. Anyone. The most powerful fighters. And if they resisted they'd be turned into a demon with the blade. That's not the worst part. They plan on breaking in, turning all the officials of Spirit World into Demons if they don't comply. An efficient way to take over the world, I suppose. I just didn't want anyone to get killed. Tala and Kai have already slaughtered hundreds. I paid my debt to them but Tala and Kai still want me to be there. You see, my fox fire and ability to create illusions makes it more than simple to break into these highly secured places. By helping them do this I've lost all honor," Kade explained. Kurama sympathized, he too had a strong sense of honor, and someone ruining that is like the soul dying.  
  
"But if you're doing this because you're being forced," Kurama pointed out,"Then techinically you're not at fault."  
  
"Kurama..." Kade said, standing."Thank you for helping me, even when you didn't know who I was."  
  
"Wait, where are you going?" Kurama asked, standing. Kade lost her footing, and he had to catch her.  
  
"I...have to stop Tala and Kai... I know I can," she muttered. Kade lost consciousness again. He set her back down gently, covering her with a blanket. If she didn't take it easy the wound would take longer to heal.  
  
"Keiko wait you gotta believe me!" Yusuke started. Keiko was still walking away."We weren't trying to ditch you I swear it's the truth! Kuwabara say something!"  
  
"Hey man, she's your girlfriend," Kuwabara said, shrugging."You say something."  
  
"Keiko please wait!" Yusuke said. Keiko had her eyes shut, not looking back at him. She bumped into someone.  
  
"Oh..uh..pardon me," she said. Kuwabara got a chill.  
  
"Keiko run!" he shouted. She turned. The girl Keiko bumped into smiled, showing two fangs. Keiko screamed. Yusuke ran to help, but the stranger grabbed Keiko by the neck  
  
"ShotG-"  
  
"Don't want to hurt your girlfriend, do you Yusuke?" asked Tala, grinning. She took out her crossbow, an arrow appeared in the hilt. Keiko refrained from screaming, but the terror was apparent in her eyes."Good Girl. Now, if you want ojou-chan back safe and sound, give us back Kade. You might be able to hide her but I won't stand to be outwitted. Especially not by that three eyed tall haired shortstack idiot theif. Well, think about what I said. And if you can't get Kade to come back, well, heh, this Ojou-chan will have a nice hole going striaght through her skull, you could wear it as a nice kind of necklace."  
  
Before the two boys could react, the demon Tala leaped into the air, dissappearing. The only thing to prove what happened the resounding echo of Keiko's final scream. Yusuke ran forward a few steps, hoping for some sort of shred that had been left behind. Something he could follow to rescue Keiko.  
  
"You should stay away from her, Kurama," Hiei said, eyes closed. The two had met in an alleyway not long after Kade lost concsiousness."You know as well as I do the trickery of Fox thieves. On top of that, she's a girl."  
  
"Do you have something against women, Hiei?" Kurama asked, slightly amused. Hiei shrugged.  
  
"They're worthless thieves who do nothing but gouge the hearts out of poor bastards who fall for them," he replied."Other than that, not really."  
  
"Does this have anything to do with that demon Tala?"  
  
Hiei's eyes flew open, looking at Kurama angrily."She's not what she appears, Kurama."  
  
"I don't suppose you happen to be one of those 'poor bastards', Hiei?" he asked, leaning back. Hiei looked up angrily.  
  
"She was a partner, that's it. I just know she's deadly. Not to mention she has an automatic weapon. I'm not one to underestimate my opponents, Kurama. Tala has the strength of hundreds. If what she wants is that precious Youko back at your place I say let her have it. It's not your place to get in that arguement anyways," Hiei replied."Consider my warnings carefully before you even think of befriending that she-demon."  
  
With that, Hiei left. Kurama smiled. Hiei was too stubborn to admit the truth regaurding Tala, whatever that might be. Even so, Hiei never did exaggerate an opponent for glory. From what information he'd gathered, Kurama could only conclude this;Tala was a powerful demon, unfortunately he couldn't tell what sort. Usually Raptor and Bird demons used crossbows, but the weapon was so common it wasn't so restricted. She and someone named Kai wanted to take over Spirit World. Why? Power, he guessed, it was always power. They were taking advantage of a Fox demon like himself named Kade because of her unique talents. Kade wanted to avenge the ones already killed by Tala and someone named Kai. However, whatever past took place between Hiei and Tala made it sure Hiei wasn't going to be fighting. And all of this had to do with Yusuke's next case.  
  
"Do you think they'll come?" asked Kai. In a hidden layer between all worlds lurked the pair of deviants. Keiko had been knocked unconscious, bound and gagged. Tala tossed the girl into a cage, where she'd most likely remain. She grinned slightly, small fangs potruded her upper lip.  
  
"I know Kade. She will feel responsible for her. And being convinced and guilt ravaged she'll come. Personally I'm a bit jealous of these worthless humans," mused Tala. She laughed a bit,"So puny with pathetic energies, nothing about them seperates them from everyone else. What is it that the Youkoma sympathise with? Why are such powerful and devious minds succumbed into caring for these pathetics. Even Hiei, whom I thought to be respectable, seems to sympathise with these impotents."  
  
Kai waved the stolen sword back and forth, contemplating. Tala was a Falcon type of demon, which made her quick and strong. And while he did not enjoy taking orders, particularly from a female, he respected and feared people like Tala. Kade, however, was less appealing. Like all Fox demons she had wild red hair that was thick and untameable, almost like her droll personality. Kade didn't know the first thing about fun. Tala didn't either, but at least Tala was nice for the eyes. Also Kade had that annoying honor code. She would repay all debts, making her exceedingly gullible. On top of that, she didn't believe in killing. Where's the fun in life if you don't let something suffer? Kade didn't like to make her enemies suffer. Whenever Kade did have to kill someone, she'd poison them in their sleep. Painlessly, what a stupid way for murder."Have you ever considered knowing one personally? Then maybe you could find out."  
  
"Maybe.." Tala yawned, holding her crossbow and taking aim at Keiko. She did not fire, if this was supposed to work, that human would have to live. Otherwise Kade wouldn't come.  
  
"You have to go!" Yusuke said, sitting in front of Kade."Otherwise Keiko will be dead! And it's your fault in the first place!!"  
  
"You don't traditionally place blame on someone you're asking help from, Yusuke," Kurama remarked. Kade shook her head, standing.  
  
"No, Kurama-san. He's right. If you hadn't have helped me I'd be dead, and I owe you for that. But because of your generosity, an innocent bystander got hurt, and it will get worse if I don't do anything," Kade said sadly."I will go so Urameshi-san's friend will be safe."  
  
'Why's she speaking in all formal?' Yusuke wondered to himself. Kade stood up, taking something from her sleeve, a small crystal ball. SHe held it up, blowing some dust from her hand onto it. The sphere began to glow, transofming into..Hiei?  
  
"I hope your friend won't mind if I make a copy of him," said Kade, taking a rosary made from the same crystals."But Tala considers him to be the only one worthwhile to fight. and while I do not want to put a strain on him by asking for his help, even a replica should be able to throw Tala off, even just slightly. But I know her, and as soon as I'm with her she'll execute the hostage."  
  
Yusuke poked the fake Hiei."Sure, but what's this dummy going to do?"  
  
"More than YOU could ever hope to," it replied, drawing its sword. The replica put it to Yusuke's neck."I might just be an illusion but I assure you the pain I inflict is just as real."  
  
"Whatch where you point that thing!" Yusuke said, pushing the sword away. Hiei's double sheathed his sword. Kade smiled slightly, taking out more of the rosaries, holding them up.  
  
"The replica of Hiei-san is made precisely as Tala would have him. Overly vicious, pompous ego, and extremely powerful."  
  
"Hiei's a bit different from that," commented Kurama. Kade nodded.  
  
"That may be, but any different and Tala will believe he is soft, weak and unworthy of respect. Should that happen not even the real Hiei would be able to succeed. With your permission, Kurama-san, Urameshi-san, I'd like to make more copies of you and your friends."  
  
"And..how does this get Keiko back?" Yusuke asked. Kade blew more of the special powder over the beads. At least five of each detective had been copied. Yusuke's facsimile grinned, elbowing him.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" He said with a grin."We distract and attack with numbers while Kade switches your Keiko with a double!"  
  
"There's another Keiko in here?" Yusuke asked, looking around. The mirror images parted, revealing A perfect double of Keiko. Kade looked to Kurama.  
  
"There is only one way to tell a double from an original." She stood behind a double of Yusuke and parted his hair. A small round surface was shown."Part of the spheres will stick out from them, no matter how well concealed. Once found all one must do to disable the fake is tap the sphere."  
  
"I can see why Tala sees you as so useful," Kurama commented. Kade nodded sadly.  
  
"My forms of magic may only be illusionary, but even an illusion can be deadly," she replied."Urameshi-san, take this replica of Keiko and stay behind. Kurama-san, Come with me and the rosary clones, I'll open a portal to their hiding place. Once we've gone in, Hiei's double will buy us some time, and Kurama and his doubles will make it seem like I've brought the original Hiei along with the doubles. Tala will then be enthralled in being able to fight him again, so she'll focus all her efforts on him. Kai will be a bit more difficult to decieve, I've used this tactic on him once before, but then I did not have any originals. Therefore having the original Kurama will throw him off. Urameshi-san, I will open up a place for you to enter by wherever we find Keiko is trapped. then I want you to switch the real Keiko with the fake. When this is done, Kurama, the real Keiko and Urameshi-san can escape the same way I let you in. I well then return to them and try and stop them from any further destruction. It will be realtively for the three of you to come out without so mnuch as a scratch."  
  
"What about you?" Yusuke asked."You're the one who planned tihs whole elaborate thing."  
  
"I believe that as soon as the rosaries are disabled Tala will most certainly kill me," Kade replied. She glanced quickly to Kurama."But were it not for you I would not be alive anyways. I would like to thank you, Kurama, it was good to see another fox youkai. Is everyone willing?"  
  
The other two nodded. Kade smiled slightly, closing her eyes. It felt good to be doing something righteous for a change. She put to fingers to her forehead, looking around in her mind for the aura of Tala and Kai. They were clever and knew how to mask this, but she was the one who taught them how. There, the hiding place was in the seam between worlds. Kade concentrated, and a physical door appeared on the floor. She went through it first, followed by the doubles and Kurama. Only the faux Keiko and Yusuke were left behind when the door closed.  
  
"Kade," Tala said, grinning as the Fox demon appeared."I knew you wouldn't let a human suffer. Come here without a trick or a rouse and I won't kill her."  
  
"But you own't release her, either. I brought someone, he wants to talk with you. Either that or kill you, I don't quite know which," Kade said, stepping to the side. The double of Hiei stepped forward, closing his eyes.  
  
"The latter sounds best," he said icily. Tala closed her eyes, crossing her arms.  
  
"You'll have to do better than that, Kade, he's a copy, I should know."  
  
"Am I?" Hiei asked,"If I was a copy, Would I know that you and I used to be partners?"  
  
Her eyes flew open and she pointed her bow."You're no longer amusing me, Kade. Playing with my past is dishonorable, I was sure you'd respect it."  
  
"Who's playing? I wanted to come. Unfinished business," The Hiei double said. It was working perfectly, Kade noted. Tala would lose her confidence and reel down to fight Hiei, convinced he was a double. Then she would demand to find the original, in which Kade would bring in the other four duplicates. And to prevent Kai from intervening, Kurama would show up with his and Yusuke's doubles. Because there was an original Kurama and the original Yusuke would soon follow, there would be doubt as to if there was a real Hiei or not, best two out of three, right?  
  
"I had respect for you," Kai commented."You always had such original plans. But this? Bringing in a cheap copy? Honestly, Kade, we thought you were a better player than that."  
  
Kade smiled slightly, shaking her head. Kai knew her honor was most important to her, and granted, preying on Tala's insecurities was far from that, but capturing an innocent human was also dishonorable, more so."Well, you're right about one thing. I am better than that. Kurama-san!"  
  
At her command the five Kuramas, only one real, and four fake Hiei came down beside her. Kade smiled, closing her eyes."Urameshi-san."  
  
The four Urameshi doubles arrived in perfect time. Now, Kade calculated. Keiko was over to the side, where Kai was. Tala would be determined to kill the Hiei clones, demanding to find the real one. Kurama and his doubles would have to attack quickly and be sure not to be hit by Kai's blade. Then, the four double Urameshi would go by Keiko, providing a cover while the real Yusuke would take Keiko away. And she would play puppet master, making sure no one ended up hurt.  
  
"I! Will! Not! Forgive you!" Tala shouted, charing at the five Hieis. She tried cutting them down, but one by one they sped around her, confusing her quick vision.  
  
"Maybve I remember you wrong!" The duplicates said in unison."I remembered you to be faster.."  
  
Tala charged, firing all but one duplicate down but one. The last one had dodged easily. Kade had programmed him to be faster than the rest, to make him seem more original. In the mean time Kurama and the other replicas were swarming Kai, and with swift manueverability took him down.  
  
The real Yusuke had finally entered with the double.It was then that the one, fatal mistake was made. 


End file.
